Many composers from the 20th and 21st Century used graphic scores instead of traditional music notation to describe and record their musical ideas. A graphic score uses uses images, shapes and pictures instead of notes. In addition to the more widespread popularity of graphic notation, new AI generated graphic music score has expanded its possibilities. [ read more about graphic music notation ]
The Analysis
Graphic notation works differently to traditional musical notation, as it uses images, abstract symbols, graphic elements, illustration, and text to convey meaning in both linear and non-linear form to the performers. A few of these composers incorporate traditional notation and then bend it in unique ways.
The visual comparison between traditional and modern graphic notation can be striking. Traditional notation is linear and rigid. Modern graphic notation is open, can offer flexibility, and allow the performer to interpret the composer’s ideas. [1]
Notable pioneers of graphic notation include composers such as John Cage, Roman Haubenstock-Ramati, Mauricio Kagel, György Ligeti (Artikulation), Krzysztof Penderecki, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Iannis Xenakis, Morton Feldman, Constance Cochnower Virtue, and Christian Wolff. [2]
You can identify four types of graphic representation of the music: Time-based abstract representation, Time-based abstract notation, Free abstract representations, Free abstract notation [2]
In addition to the more widespread popularity of graphic notation, new technology has expanded its possibilities. In his book The Digital Score: Musicianship, Creativity, and Innovation,[3] Craig Vear describes how Artificial Intelligence and animation can be used to enhance the graphic score experience. He claims that these technologies are “the logical development of graphic score experiments”. This idea lead me to experiment some prompts with MidJourney engine V5 (default version on the 15th of May 2023).
MidJourney – AI Tool for graphic score experiments
György Ligeti
Graphic score drawing with different colors and shapes, in the style of Ligeti, rhythmic compositions, princesscore, spiky mounds, shodo, drawing machines --ar 256:79 --v 5
minimal graphic score drawing with different colors and small shapes, in the style of György Ligeti, musical rhythmic compositions, white paper --ar 256:79 --v 5 --s 1000
minimal graphic score drawing with different colors and small shapes, in the style of György Ligeti Artikulation works, musical rhythmic compositions, white paper --ar 256:79 --v 5 --s 100
graphic score drawing with different colors and shapes, in the style of Ligeti, rhythmic compositions, princesscore --ar 256:79 --v 5
Brian Eno
minimal graphic score drawing with different colors and small shapes, in the style of Brian Eno Ambiental Works, music rhythmic compositions, princesscore --ar 256:79 --v 5
John Cage
minimal graphic score drawing in black and white, in the style of John Cage, music rhythmic compositions, white paper --ar 256:79 --v 5 --s 500
Iannis Xenakis
graphic score drawing in black and white, in the style of Iannis Xenakis, music rhythmic compositions, white paper --ar 256:79 --v 5 --s 500
Cornelius Cardew
graphic score drawing in black and white, in the style of Cornelius Cardew, minimal music rhythmic compositions, white paper --ar 256:79 --v 5 --s 500
Roman Haubenstock-Ramati
graphic score drawing in black and white, in the style of Roman Haubenstock-Ramati Konstellationen (1972), minimal music rhythmic compositions, white paper --ar 256:79 --v 5 --s 500
Resources
[1] https://davidhall.io/visualising-music-graphic-scores/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_notation_(music)
[3] Vear, Craig (2019). The Digital Score: Musicianship, Creativity and Innovation (1st ed.).